16 - Food and Fitness VLOG

15 - Food and Fitness VLOG: REBOOT

Tuesday Morning Soothing Worship Freewrite

I am setting the timer for fifteen minutes and listening to my Creation to Christ recordings. I told someone yesterday (who was it?) that I was a little down (Oh, it was Michelle D.), and I listened to all these recordings on the way home from Newberg, and I was so encouraged by the end of my drive. There is something about listening to these recordings that let me see the "Bird's Eye View" of God's illustrious plan for all peoples. It gives such insight into the very character of God. :) 

It was a good talk with Michelle. It ended up being two hours! Ack! I did not expect to spend so much time doing that in the middle of the day. I tried to not do any work yesterday, but I updated the "Kingdom and Gospel in Luke" handout because I had made a HUGE mistake.

I also made the schedule for the September launch of the Kingdom Community Light. I am still praying into it and hope that God will bring people to it. 

I wonder if Calvary will have us come and give a training on what we do. :) 

I just finished listening to Jon Thurlow, Soothing Worship. I should find the link and put it on this blog. It is such a great 24 minute time of focus and worship. God is longing for us.

I had two days in a row of food recording! YAY! I am so glad that I am not alone anymore because Rachel and Katrina both decided that they needed to be accountable again. I got tired of sending in my reports without any response. I don't know what it is like to have multiple children (I think there are 11 between the two of them). So, I cannot fault them for not responding, but I was all alone. I just needed to focus again because other than a two week pull in in July and October and a one week pull in in January, I have been eating with abandon for the last fourteen months. 

The good news is that my average daily overeating has only been 116 calories!  That is all it takes to put weight back on. Thankfully I had those pull in times, but now I am looking at a five week pull in time versus 1-2 weeks to get things back in place. So, I am two days into this 35 day process. Only 33 more days to go! WOOHOO! I can do it. I have this rule that I will not do a Bible Book Club editing day unless I had a 1000 calorie deficit the day before. Yesterday, I was going to go out and walk, but it POURED. I thought I had a little break and was planning on a long walk, but about five minutes into the walk, I was SOAKED. So, I came home saying, "I will go to Snap Fitness tonight." Yah, right!  It did not happen. So, while my eating was awesome yesterday, I did not make my calorie burn goal! So, my deficit was less then 1000. So, there you go. I will not sit as long if I do not do a post. 

Here is my result from yesterday:

Oh there goes the timer. Here is a link to the Jon Thurlow "Soothing Worship":

http://mfi.re/play/oyeko374wlvlvro/Jon-Thurlow-Soothing-Worship.mp3

Friday Fifteen Freewrite

I ended up having a free day today because Joanne moved to Dayton so we are no longer meeting on Friday mornings, and Kellie and I met last Wednesday instead of the Friday before so I am thinking we will also not meet today.

All that said, I am somewhat "stuck" in doors until the peak of the flowering trees is over. Even Zertex and Xlear nasal spray cannot stem the pollen attack during these peak days. So, I am working out indoors too today by going to Snap Fitness later on today. 

I have been putting the final touches on Genesis to have it available in a word processor for those who do not want to have to look online and read it backwards on the blog! 

I was challenged to be able to explain the process of transformation that God has brought me on in the last few months. I cannot articulate it other than He has gotten my priorities VERY straight, given me an accurate picture of my strengths, weaknesses, and limitations (not inferiority but accuracy - some would define this accurate picture as a step toward humility), given me a group to pour into, and been very confident of His calling on me. This newest calling toward a group that I have otherwise avoided has been interesting, but I am not afraid. I felt a bit misunderstood by one person in our little small group who gave me a prophetic rebuke yesterday, but she doesn't know me very well. So I asked God about it, and he laughed and told me to forget about it so I did. That is true growth! I haven't stewed on it. I just wanted to be open and teachable about what was said to me. And I discarded it. I am sure the person meant for it to be encouraging, but it was not. I asked a friend who knows me well if I "always" do what this person said that I do, and she said, "No." So that was also confirmation. It was strange, but it was not unnerving. I just needed to treat it rationally and objectively, listening to God's voice versus the voice of my emotions! :) 

So this morning has been very rich in review of God's word, and the word transformation came up over and over. I really feel like transformation continues because of making the choice to "Steep" in God's word. That has been really true in my life over the years and over the course of the Bible Book Club, I have had a running log of my reflections since 2007, and it has been so encouraging to have "updates" to previous reflections because I do not feel or act that way any longer. That is true growth!  YAY!

Oh, those flowering trees really look so inviting! Should I just risk it because the rain comes tomorrow, and it will be harder to walk? Hmm. I really need to think about it.

I have put on a bit of weight during the winter so I am attempting to lose that before we go on our 25th wedding anniversary trip in the summer! YAY! I am not too worried because it is not that many pounds, but it is definitely the highest I have been in many years, but it is still the low for what it used to be! I just like those love handles to be GONE. That is when I feel uncomfortable now, ,and it is my red light.

I had to discontinue my March fasting because of the allergies though. Not eating and taking Zertex was really upsetting my stomach! 

Well, I have three more minutes, but I am tired of writing, and I think I need to get up and walk around and do some household duties.

Bye. TGIF! 

Wednesday Freewrite

I love that I can talk to God seekers everywhere. I love the bird outside that is peaking at the grass and the walker walking by at Dawson Creek. I have not worked down here on the first floor of the Hillsboro Public Library for a very long time, maybe two years. It is not as busy as it usually is. Maybe because it is right before finals week, and there are not that many studying here these days. I like the downstairs because it faces the ponds and creek, and there are so many birds. It is a much better view than the parking lot.

I had a delightful walk around the Tualatin Hills Nature Park with Linda Dean. We met her on the boat in Europe. It was fun to hear about her upcoming adventure to China, and it was fun to reminisce about our trip last May/June. It made me want to go back and see that part of the world again. 

I am now listening to Jon Thurlow Soothing Worship, and I am enjoying it . My favorite YouTube videos of him were taken down this last week. I do not know why because they were not copyrighted works. So I am sad about that because I have been listening to them for two years! WAHHH.

Well, I am supposed to write for fifteen to make it an "official" freewrite, but I want to get to Genesis. 

BYE! 

2. Choose Joy by Kay Warren

 I forgot to write this review. I finished this in February. I was pleasantly surprised at the beauty of this book. It is simple and refers to lots of Scripture (although she keeps referring to the "Fall" in Genesis 2 when it was in Genesis 3!) and personal experience. I got it as a free download many months ago and listened to it while traveling. It is very uplifting and was perfect for when I had melanoma (Stage 0) and had to have it removed. It kept me focused on Jesus and JOY (which I like to say is Jesus Over You!).

Since she wrote this book, Kay lost her son to suicide. I am sure she has had to "choose joy" much in the last year. I am praying for her today! 

3. Contagious Disciple Making by David L. and Paul D. Watson

I like Miraculous Movements by Jerry Trousdale that covers much of the same information here only in an international setting. (I had dinner with Jerry in January, and he is a delightful individual!) This is very similar only it does go into more detail about the disciple making process.

Most of this book has basic information about disciple making that has been covered in books before it with one significant difference, David and Paul Watson make a case for discipling people in their networks which goes along with the research from Greg Ogden's book Transforming Discipleship: we grow in groups more than we grow in one-on-one discipling relationships. (A drum I have been tapping for years!) 

This book's uniqueness is that it goes beyond disciple making methodology to looking at the big picture of reaching the world. I like that. I particularly like the chapters on "Prayer" and "Church".  David Watson is also someone who has seen disciple making movements happen all over the world. He is worth being read, and this is straight from him rather than from someone who is reporting on the results of his methodology. 

Sometimes, he gives you the impression that he invented "true discipling" and that he created some of the tools they use. One example is S.P.E.C.K. for making "I will" statements. I learned this term in 1978 while in the Navigators. "I will" statements, while called "application" in the Navigators, have been the hallmark of the Navigators for years. Accountability in "obedience-based" discipleship is also nothing new, but I like that David Watson has been the champion for it even though he did not invent it.  I don't think anyone knows who coined the SPECK acronym, but the authors sound like they are saying, "this is what we do because we invented it" rather than saying, "this is a tool that has been around for many years, and it really helps people make an "I will" statements. 

While I like Miraculous Movements more because it explains the methodology via exciting stories, this one has examples in a North American setting and might be easier for a pastor to implement in his church. This one also goes more into detail about developing leaders and being a mentor which I appreciated. If you have never discipled anyone before, this would be a very good basic book to help you get started. Its real strength lies in going beyond discipleship to starting a disciple making movement which is very exciting and strategic. 

There was one particular paragraph regarding people who come to Christ and are pulled out of their silo (affinity group, network, oikos) and no longer have influence there. I will quote it without giving my opinion until after:

In our opinion, Satan is at work in these extraction methodologies. Satan encourages the use of extraction evangelism and discipleship strategies because these strategies do not take silos into serious account, and the result is the "winning" of one at the loss of the rest of the family, community, or silo. These are good odds for Satan -- he will encourage us to win one and lose ten or more as a result of these methodologies. Most of us play into Satan's hand, thinking we have done something great by "winning" one, when what we have really accomplished is the losing of a family, community, or silo as a result of extraction strategies. (p.108)

I can see that it goes against the philosophy of disciple making movements. I agree that it is not strategic, but it is certainly not Satanic. Get real! 

But do not let that little bit turn you off. It is a valuable book because disciple making is part of maturing in Christ. We need to mentor and be mentored. I love that part of the book!

Here is a little handout I adapted from their material that gives you the "nuts and bolts" of facilitating groups from not-yet followers of Jesus to leaders. Gather a group (silo, affinity network, family) and facilitate discovery through four different studies today!

DISCOVERY BIBLE STUDY WITH LISTS

Soup Psalm

SOUP PSALM

My pen is the tongue of a ready writer.

I have so much that bubbles over in ink onto paper

I love the fragrance of the things you have made

All put together and baked together in a roll!

The smell wafting through my home of

Split peas and meat and spices are mingling together.

This will soon mingle with love and laughter

Of people who love You

Slurping it all down with a BIG soup spoon.

They are the mingling together of people You have made.

They spice the pot of fellowship

And the delicious aroma of the mingling

Makes You smell it and say,

“Ah, smells so good!

This is a soothing aroma and pleasing to Me!

I want to slurp these beautiful people up with a BIG spoon!”

Then You say,

“That is what will happen at the Revelation 7:9 time:

People too huge to count,

Ingredients of cultures, nations, tribes, races, and languages

Standing before me in one big spicy SOUP of humanity - -

Oh and the aroma delights every bit of me,

So yummy as they sing,

‘Salvation to our God on His throne!

Salvation to the Lamb!”

Falling on face before Me with praise.

I am satiated.

I am pleased

With this GOOD soup!”

The Sound of Music

BBC BHAG

BBC  BHAG = Bible Book Club Big Hairy Audacious Goal

I have been pretty focused for the last few months. So I have not been reading very much. I have now TOTALLY completed the third cycle of the Bible Book Club, I edited and updated all the posts and put them in a word processor. I woke up at 2 am yesterday with 2,3 John, Jude, and Revelation on my heart and finished them by 9 am. Seven RICH hours in the Word! 

Then I wanted to update my Jesse Tree Devotional, something we do at the end of the third year because we finish the whole Bible by the end of October (in your face Halloween!). So, I worked starting at 9:07 am and took breaks for my walks, household things,  prayer time, TOAG work, and arranging for the Prayer Conference in May, and I finished that by 11:53 pm last night. My word processor said it took me 851 minutes to complete it, over 14 hours!

How weird to wake up this morning and not have my routine of making tea and listening to my Bible (also weird that the guy who narrates the NASB died in a car accident last Wednesday night as I was finishing up this goal. He has been my companion every morning for so many years!). 

Of course, I will still read my Bible, but that labor of love (and it really WAS my devotional time for the last 7 years and 2 months and 1 week) has some completeness to it. :) 

Update: I decided to go through everything again in order to proofread. So I am still getting up and reading every morning like before! This has taken me 12 1/2 weeks so far, but I am on 1 Corinthians today and should be done by the end of the week! :)